Senior Principal, Data Governance & Strategy

Slalom; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Slalom NZ in Auckland is seeking a data governance specialist to help clients advance their data strategy and governance maturity. This role sits at the intersection of data strategy, governance and analytics and is client-facing and hands-on.

You will work with client data owners to define ownership models, implement policies and ensure trusted data flows. You will mentor analysts and contribute to thought leadership in data governance.

Qualifications

• Experience in data governance or data management within professional services.
• Knowledge of DAMA data governance principles and data lifecycle management.
• Experience creating and operationalising data governance policies.
• Experience with data governance tools like Alation, Informatica, and Collibra.
• Ability to translate complex data challenges into business outcomes.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and operationalise data governance frameworks, policies and standards.
• Collaborate with data owners, stewards and stakeholders on ownership models.
• Conduct detailed data analysis, profiling and quality assessments.
• Contribute to design of data catalogs, lineage and glossaries.
• Support implementation of governance tools and platforms.
• Lead governance activities within data transformation initiatives.
• Present insights to senior stakeholders with clear storytelling.
• Mentor junior analysts and contribute to thought leadership.

Skills

Data governance

Data management

DAMA framework

Metadata management

Alation

Informatica

Collibra

Stakeholder engagement

Presentation skills

Cross-functional leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Tools

Alation

Informatica

Collibra

Job description

In 2023 Slalom opened their first New Zealand office in Auckland, as part of our expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. Three years later, we have over 80 professionals who, in collaboration with our alliance partners, have built our brand in Aotearoa through delivering high value outcomes that serve the strategic, technological, business and transformational needs of our cross-sector customers.

About The Role

This role sits at the intersection of Data Strategy, Data Governance and Analytics supporting our clients in their journey towards being data driven. You will play a critical role in shaping and operationalising data governance frameworks, enabling high-quality, trusted data to flow through our clients' organisations. This is a hands-on and client-facing position, ideal for a problem solver who can translate complex data challenges into practical business outcomes.

What You’ll Do

• Help our clients develop and operationalise data governance frameworks, policies and standards.
• Work closely with client data owners, stewards and business stakeholders to define data ownership models, stewardship roles, and metadata standards.
• Conduct detailed data analysis, profiling, and data quality assessments to identify issues and opportunities for improvement.
• Provide input into the design of data catalogs, lineage, and business glossaries.
• Support the implementation of data governance tools and platforms (e.g., Collibra, Informatica, Alation).
• Lead data governance activities within broader data transformation initiatives, including data modernisation and data migration.
• Present insights and governance findings to senior stakeholders through clear storytelling, visualisations, and executive-ready materials.
• Mentor junior analysts and contribute to Slalom's thought leadership in data strategy and governance.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong experience in data governance or data management, within a professional services environment.
• Strong understanding of data governance principles, frameworks (e.g. DAMA), and data lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and operationalising data governance strategies and policies.
• Familiarity with data governance tools and metadata management platforms (e.g. Alation, Informatica, Collibra)
• Experience developing presentations, training, or other materials for evangelising and educating an organisation on data governance, data management, data policies and standards.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a natural curiosity to explore and untangle complex data environments.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence across both business and technical teams.
• Confident working in cross-functional project teams, with the ability to adapt and lead in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Our Values

Our culture and values reflect each individual Slalomer. We are dedicated to encouraging workplace diversity and ensuring all our people, from any background can contribute to their full potential. We wish to build a team that echoes the diversity of the communities we serve, and our values are an active part of our every-day, guiding our decisions.

What keeps us here?

Our New Zealand office knows the important of a good work/life balance. We have the freedom to be ourselves when life gets in the way. We make a big effort to bring everyone together and allow space when space is needed. We believe in helping each other thrive in work and life and are proud to invest in benefits that include holistic wellbeing, meaningful allowances and investment in our team’s professional, technical and personal growth. It’s an exciting time to be one of our foundational members, getting involved in setting up our "Kiwi" values and culture and what makes us uniquely Slalom NZ!

Slalom is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Slalom does not discriminate on grounds of race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis as protected by applicable law.